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UK parcel delivery company DPD has launched an app that will allow customers to take complete control over their parcel delivery, and ensure that missed deliveries become a thing of the past.
Fashion retailer River Island , in partnership with NN4M, has launched what it dubs “app experience for the Apple Watch and Android Wear”, marking it out as one of the first mainstream retailers to design for wearables.
Visitors to this year’s Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) can pay for drinks – and possibly earplugs – simply by waving their arms about, rivaling some of the on stage dance routines.
Mobile technology and messaging company Veoo may have revolutionised loyalty schemes, couponing and mobile retail in store with the roll out of a solution that allows retailers to deliver offers to customers’ mobile wallets – and then update them on the fly. Sounds unremarkable, but in practice it means that (more…)
MBLM, a Brand Intimacy Agency focused on strategy, design, creative and technology, has found that Apple Watch is polarizing and users feel conflicted, confounded and critical.
A survey by GS1 UK showed that over 25% of the top 20 retailers in the UK – including Marks and Spencer , John Lewis , Tesco F&F , ASDA George and others – are already using RFID tags in their stores. Another 20% are currently trialing and 15% are (more…)
Paul Skeldon, InternetRetailing’s mobile editor, hosts Ross Haskell, senior director of Boldchat products at Logmein in a webinar that looks at how to use chat to create the perfect customer experience on mobile. This timely presentation – following hot on the heels of news that Facebook is looking to add (more…)
Wearable technology is evolving beyond wrist-worn devices to include shirts, tattoos, hats, shoes and more but what makes these devices useful is the actionable collected data. A new report from Argus Insights shows that consumers are much happier with their wearable devices than the apps they use to interpret the (more…)
myWaitrose customers can now scan product barcodes on their phones as they place goods in their basket, easing their checkout experience at three Waitrose stores. The ‘scan as you shop’ trial, which complements the existing Quick Check service, is taking place in Waitrose shops in Clapham Common, Meanwood and Milngavie, with a (more…)
Mobile optimisation and customer experience – and how the two work together – are becoming key to retailers. Nearly 35% of UK-based online retailers list customer experience as their highest priority in the coming year, with mobile optimisation coming in a strong second (26%). These results, released today by SLI Systems , a worldwide e-commerce provider for (more…)
In the rush to meet customer expectations and keep up with competitors, many retailers have installed Wi-Fi in their stores on the unscientific basis of “build it and they will come”. Here Dan Thornton, head of solution development, Hughes Europe shares his views on how retailers can make Wi-Fi work (more…)
Research reveals shoppers regard in-store mobile technology – so called Retail 3.0 – as key for an enjoyable shopping experience, with 73% stating those retailers that provide the technology offer superior customer service.
RFID – or the basic tech behind NFC and contactless – is poised to revolutionise retail believes Dean Frew, SVP for RFID Solutions and Chief Technology Officer, SML Group. Here he explains why and what it means…
One of the early trends for 2016 in m and e-commerce is the use of location and other factors to help give shoppers instant offers. SaveAsYou is a location-based app that is free and easy-to-use for shopping centres and customers. Brought to the market by Kal Group, a leading digital marketing (more…)
Novus Leisure, the UK’s largest private bar and club operator, has teamed up with retail technology specialist Red Ant to build a unique real-time customer feedback app that will help to measure social sentiment, deliver live business insight and improve service.
The Otto Group – the second largest consumer online retailer in the world – is partnering with Powa Technologies to provide millions of customers in Germany and elsewhere with a quick and simple way to shop and engage with its brands online, in-store and on the go using Powa’s app (more…)
From its origins in the early 1980s, Office has grown steadily and is a staple of the British high street and now has more than 150 global sites, including concessions in Selfridges IRDX RSEL], Topshop and House of Fraser . It is now one of the IRUK Top 500 retailers, (more…)
Musical equipment retailer Yamaha has introduced digital signage into its stores that allow customers to call up the information they need via their smartphone in a bid to bring a bit of the online world to the store.
They warned us about this: fridges that order food for you are now a reality. At the Consumer Electronics Show, MasterCard has introduced Groceries by MasterCard, a new app that enables consumers to order groceries directly from Samsung’s new Family Hub refrigerator.
January is the time of resolutions and one of mine is to spend less on everything – to exploit those bargains that are out there. Now, I can do it for my utility bills by signing up to Onedox, which helps consumers actually switch and pick up the billions in (more…)


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Tata hosts trip to India
MUMBAI, India – Five U.S. journalists, including myself, today arrived at their Asian destination as part of a nine-day journey to experience business and industry in India as guests of Tata Group.
Tata’s steel manufacturing arm owns Thomas Steel Strip in Warren, along with a multitude of other industries worldwide.
The global giant became part of the Mahoning Valley industry in 2007 with its purchase of Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus, Thomas Steel Strip’s former parent company.
A quick synopsis of the Tata conglomerate shows it has:
Operations in more than 100 countries on six continents;
Operations of more than 100 companies;
Business sectors that include communications and information technology; engineering; materials; services; energy; consumer products; and chemicals;
Exports of products and services to at least 150 countries.
This week, four other journalists besides myself are scheduled to spend time at Tata’s world headquarters in Mumbai, and tour Tata Steel and Tata Motors’ automotive factories in Jamshedpur, India, as well as Tata aerospace facilities in Hyderabad, India.
This is the first time Tata has invited U.S. business writers to participate in such a tour, but a company spokesman who is accompanying the group said Tata previously sponsored a similar outing with British journalists.
The group is starting its week with a stay in Mumbai, a city of nearly 20 million people, formerly known as Bombay, in the landmark century-old Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel.
This urban peninsula site was one of several locations struck in coordinated simultaneous terrorist attacks Nov. 26 to 29, 2008. The five-star hotel, also owned by Tata, was burned in the attack, but has since been repaired.
The journalists are expected to tour key locations from that 2008 terror attack on Mumbai landmarks that left more than 160 people dead.
Accompanying me is a reporter and photographer for Forbes Magazine; an assistant editor for trade publication IHS Chemical Week magazine; and editor of the Green River Star, a daily newspaper in Wyoming, where Tata Chemicals North America mines and processes the mineral trona ore.
Linert has worked at the Tribune Chronicle for nearly two decades in various capacities, most recently as business editor. She writes and coordinates coverage of local steel and auto industries, oil and gas drilling, economic development and other related topics. She was invited in part due to the Tribune Chronicle’s past coverage of issues surrounding Thomas Steel, including the company’s fight to ban dumping of imports that it claims unfairly compete with Thomas’ domestically produced products.

domain: news


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Ibotta, a startup whose platform doles out rewards for in-store and online purchases, today announced a series D funding round led by Koch Industries subsidiary Koch Disruptive Technologies, at a $1 billion valuation. The size of the raise wasn’t disclosed, but it comes after three previous rounds totaling roughly $85 million. CEO Bryan Leach said the capital infusion will enable Colorado-based Ibotta to accelerate its hiring plans over the next year and expand its two-floor downtown Denver headquarters.
Denver Startup Ibotta Reaches $1 Billion Valuation
Shopping rebates app maker Ibotta Inc. said it is worth $1 billion after receiving a new funding round that looks likely to make it the highest-valued technology startup in Colorado. The Denver-based payments company just raised an undisclosed nine-figure Series D led by Koch Disruptive Technologies. The company is now valued at $1 billion. The startup offers a coupon alternative for consumers that want to save money and get cash back rewards. Users of the Ibotta app can shop at places like Uber, Chipotle, Whole Foods, among others and get cash back rewards for each transaction.
How Ibotta Is Helping Every Day Consumers Save Time And Money
Denver, Colorado-based Ibotta is a free mobile shopping app that makes it easier for consumers to earn cash back on everyday purchases by using a smartphone. Ibotta has partnered with a number of brands and retailers to provide offers on groceries, clothes, gifts, electronics, restaurants and more. Ever since Ibotta launched in 2012, the company has paid out over $275 million in cash back for its users and has been downloaded over 23 million times. And Ibotta users spend over $6 billion every year using the app. Currently, Ibotta has over 500 employees, most of which are based in Denver. Ibotta founder and CEO Bryan Leach was born in Nairobi, Kenya where his father worked for a car dealership but dreamed about becoming an entrepreneur in the U.S. Leach said that he had a front-row seat to his father’s version of the American dream
How Ibotta Is Helping Every Day Consumers Save Time And Money
Denver, Colorado-based Ibotta is a free mobile shopping app that makes it easier for consumers to earn cash back on everyday purchases by using a smartphone. Ibotta has partnered with a number of brands and retailers to provide offers on groceries, clothes, gifts, electronics, restaurants and more. Ever since Ibotta launched in 2012, the company has paid out over $275 million in cash back for its users and has been downloaded over 23 million times. And Ibotta users spend over $6 billion every year using the app. Currently, Ibotta has over 500 employees, most of which are based in Denver. Ibotta founder and CEO Bryan Leach was born in Nairobi, Kenya where his father worked for a car dealership but dreamed about becoming an entrepreneur in the U.S. Leach said that he had a front-row seat to his father’s version of the American dream after the family migrated to the United States. In Atlanta, Leach worked for his father’s company every summer and he saw the company grow from six employees to more than 1,400. Once Leach finished his education, studying first at Harvard University, then the University of Oxford and, finally, Yale Law School, he started his career as a law clerk to U.S. Su
Stop missing out on cashback earnings on groceries and more
“We’ve really positioned our brand as a single destination for rewarded shopping,” CEO and founder Bryan Leach told me. "We are now the third most used shopping app through the last three months. The only two shopping apps that had more minutes of usage than us on iOS in the U.S. were Amazon and eBay.” Amazon and eBay are two of the growing number of online retailers you can earn cashback through Ibotta. A recent update of the app added the ability to earn $1 back for every Uber ride and a $5 Uber ride credit for every three rides. “We’re hoping that we can go from appealing to a very savvy deal-conscious shopper to a more casual person who loves to get rewards, doesn’t want to pay full price but isn’t as interested in investing the time,” Leach said. “We’re hoping to cross into a more mainstream user base.”
Ibotta Raises $25M Led by Silicon Valley Heavyweight GGV Capital
Mobile retail app Ibotta is joining the ranks of major online services like Soundcloud, Airbnb and Pandora thanks to an investment from Silicon Valley-based investment firm GGV Capital. Ibotta, started in Denver five years ago, is one of the largest mobile retail apps on the market. The app offers users cash rebates on purchases from retail stores like Target and Walmart, but Ibotta also works with such online businesses as Uber and Ebay. GGV Capital has invested in nearly 150 different companies in the U.S. and China. Some of its most high-profile investments include e-commerce giant
The story behind Denver’s most popular mobile app and why it needed to change
Bryan Leach pulls several receipts from his leather wallet and excitedly spreads them on the table as if he just discovered a pirate’s map of buried treasure. Few people, especially Yale Law School grads who have clerked for a Supreme Court justice, are this passionate about paper receipts. “I just have them because I test all the time,” said Leach, CEO and founder of Ibotta, one of nation’s most popular mobile retail apps. He takes a picture of a Walmart receipt using the newly revamped Ibotta app and all items are automatically scanned. That makes it easier and faster for users to get cash rebates credited to their accounts. No clipping coupons. No need to verify purchases by also scanning a product’s barcode, which had been Ibotta’s modus operandi for years. (Skipping barcode verification is being slowly rolled out to more stores.)
Ibotta Partners with Bud Light & Denver Broncos
This startup will give you money when you shop on other apps
Ibotta isn’t well known in Silicon Valley, but it probably should be. The startup, which is based in Denver, lets shoppers get cash back via the Ibotta app when they buy certain products at participating grocers and retailers. It may be unsexy — no “on-demand” or subscription here — but it is currently in the Top 20 free shopping apps in both the Apple and Google app stores.
Ibotta adds deep-linking technology to offer up to 40 percent cash-back rebates
When Ibotta linked its mobile-app users to cash rebates from online stores three years ago, the experiment failed. Miserably. “We felt the tools and technology weren’t good enough for our use case,” said Bryan Leach, founder and CEO of the Denver-based shopping app. “You had to pinch and zoom. Customers weren’t getting an immediate notice on their reward. It was not seamless. We were unhappy.”
Ibotta Partners with Boxed, Groupon, Hotels.com, Jet and Other Leading Companies to Offer Consumers First-Ever Rewards for Purchases Made on Mobile Apps
Ibotta, the mobile shopping app whose users have earned more than $110 million in rewards on in-store purchases, today launched a brand-new way for consumers to discover great brands and earn rewards on mobile, in-app purchases. Through partnerships with mobile commerce leaders such as Boxed, Groupon, Hotels.com, and Jet, Ibotta will offer rewards to shoppers for ordering goods and services directly from their smartphones and tablets.
The Cities on the Sunny Side of the American Economy
Technology start-ups, including Ibotta, Craftsy, Home Advisor and Gnip (bought by Twitter in 2014), found a footing in Colorado. Financial services firms like Charles Schwab, TIAA and Fidelity Investments expanded their operations. A raft of smaller aerospace and commercial satellite companies like Sierra Nevada, which just won a NASA contract to build the mini-space shuttle Dream Chaser, have elbowed in beside giants like Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Colorado led the country last year in new health care jobs.
Mobile Savings App Ibotta Scores $40 Million
Mobile shopping app Ibotta, which got its start as an alternative means of saving money while grocery shopping without having to clip coupons, has now closed on $40 million in Series C funding to continue to scale its business. A testament to building something practical and useful for the everyday consumer, Ibotta has seen over 10 million downloads to date and a user base that has saved a combined $40 million in awards. The funding round was led by Jim Clark, founder of Silicon Graphics and Netscape, and an Ibotta board member. The additional funding brings Ibotta’s total raise to date to $73 million.
Ibotta Reaches $30 Million in Cash Rebates Paid to Shoppers
Ibotta Inc., the leading retail cash back app in the U.S., recently announced that users have earned over $30 million in rebates, a significant milestone for the 3-year-old Denver based startup. Ibotta delivered $10 million of the $30 million in cash back in the last four months alone. This accomplishment signifies how quickly Ibotta is growing, in addition to ongoing engagement and interest from their user base. Ibotta enables consumers to earn cash back via their smartphones when they go shopping. This unique approach to couponing has clearly resonated with consumers, and Ibotta is experiencing rapid growth. In addition, Ibotta preserves the consumers' freedom to choose what they buy with their unique Any Brand rebates, which provide cash back on the consumers' choice of product.
Ibotta’s New Shopping List Finds Cash Back And Rebates As You Add Items
Mobile savings app Ibotta, which got its start by targeting millennial shoppers who no longer seek out and clip paper coupons, has been working to re-think the role smartphones can play when it comes to shopping in the offline world. To date, that’s largely involved submitting receipts and scanning barcodes in order to save on in-store purchases, including those from grocery stores. Now the company is making it even easier for shoppers to save with the introduction of a smart shopping list that finds cash back for you, automatically.
Ibotta Partners with Wine and Spirits Industry Giants to Drive Sales using Cash Rebates on Mobile
Ibotta, Inc., the leading U.S. retail shopping app that gives users cash back when they shop, has partnered with multiple alcohol brands including industry leaders like E&J Gallo, Constellation Brands, Mike’s Hard Lemonade Co. and VEEV to offer shoppers cash rebates when they buy wine and spirits. Customers will be able to use the Ibotta app to purchase both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks from a range of retail outlets including BevMo, Specs, and even select local liquor stores. In order to view and then claim their cash rebate, Ibotta requires each user to verify that they are at least 21 years of age. To further promote responsible drinking, Ibotta will use geo-targeting to ensure that all rebates are available only in states where such rebates are legal and in compliance with all state regulations.
Mobile Savings App Ibotta Raises $20M From Netscape Founder Jim Clark
Big money for small savings: the mobile couponing app Ibotta, which lets consumers save money on grocery purchases, household goods, apparel, electronics and more, has raised $20 million in Series B funding, the company is announcing today. The lead investor in the round is Jim Clark, founder of Silicon Graphics, Netscape, and Healtheon/WedMD. He will now be joining the company’s board of directors, as a result of the new funding. Also participating in the round was Tom Jermoluk, previously of Silicon Graphics, @Home and KPCB.
Savings App Ibotta Expands To Online Shopping
Mobile savings application Ibotta, popular among digitally savvy coupon clippers, expanded beyond savings on grocery items and other consumer packaged goods to include support for home improvement stores, restaurants and more late last year. Now, it’s launching a mobile shopping version of its service, which extends its savings to online retailers, too, including Nordstrom’s, Kohl’s, Forever 21, Foot Locker, Champs, Gymboree, and others. The company explains that with the online shopping component, there’s no requirement to verify purchases by sending in receipts, as with some of its other offline shopping savings programs. Instead, users complete their shopping through a special link provided in the app or emailed to the user for later use.
Best Apps to Help You Make Money
Ibotta Expands Beyond Mobile Coupons, Now Lets You Earn Cash Back From Restaurants, Fast Food & Home Improvement Stores
Denver-based mobile couponing application Ibotta, which pays you cash back for items you buy in grocery stores by simply scanning your receipt, has today debuted its iOS 7-optimized version 2.0 that now brings its shopping discounts to a number of new stores, including home improvement stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot, as well as national restaurant chains like Chili’s, Burger King, Smashburger and more.
Coupon apps save time, money
Earn Money for Shopping With This App
Earning money for your personal shopping sounds like it would be a big scam, right? But with a new gaming app from a Denver-based startup, you can legitimately get cash when you buy certain products. The Ibotta app fits into the gamification of shopping space. Ibotta (free for iOS and Android) lets you earn real money for specific item purchases at participating retailers.
Ibotta Offers A New Take On Mobile Couponing By Offering Cash Back For Engaging With Brands, Then Buying Their Products
Call it a sign of the times, if you will, but a new mobile savings app called Ibotta has climbed to 100,000 registered users in the first 75 days following its release, despite having done little to no marketing or press. The app has been slowly climbing the charts, as well, reaching the top 75 in the App Store’s “lifestyle” section, and sometimes as high as the top 50, 30, or 20. Today, Ibotta is bringing its same twist on digital couponing to Android.


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Just because you’ve completely shunned ebooks and e-readers for classic paper tomes, that doesn’t mean you can’t let a little technology improve your reading experience. Kyouei Design’s Bookmark Light will not only save your page, it will also save your eyes, turning into an ultra-compact reading light.
A team of researchers has managed to boost the amount of light an LED emits by 60 percent simply by shaping its outer surface to resemble the outside of a firefly’s lantern.
Poking at your smartphone before bed makes it harder to fall asleep because the cool, bluish glow of its screen tricks your body think it’s daytime. Warmer tones are the key to drifting off, so Philips is introducing a new white bulb to its Hue line that can be adjusted from cool to warm color temperatures to help…
You might think that an invisible business card is a terrible idea; how could anyone see your contact details? But artist Ghizlan el Glaoui’s card is a one-of-a-kind design that reveals all her important details with a glowing LED integrated into one corner.
GE just announced that it no longer make or sell compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) lightbulbs in the US. The company will wind down the manufacturing of CFL bulbs by the end of 2016, and it will begin to shift its focus on making the newest and most energy-efficient lightbulbs, LEDs.
Say what you will about how comfortable a hammock is for sleeping, Eagles Nest Outfitters is working to make them just a bit more hospitable with its new DoubleNest LED that incorporates a string of glowing lights so you can read, adjust your sleeping bag, or easily find your way back after a bathroom break.
ThinkGeek has made a very strong case to put a clock on your desk, even though everything from your smartphone to your laptop already has one built-in. It’s packed 60 color-changing LEDs into a spinning rainbow that makes every grueling conference call feel like a rave.
One of the most effective ways to protect your home while you’re traveling is to simply make it look like you’re not actually away. But instead of wrangling timers, or having the neighbors stop by, these new BeON smart bulbs will automatically learn your daily routines and keep turning lights on and off in your…
The Philips AmbiLux UHD grabs your eyeballs by the...er...balls and puts them through some sort of kaleidoscopic interdimensional warp hole.
At some point in their life everyone has to grow up, and the same goes for Philips’ flexible Hue Lightstrips. Once the perfect way to subtly turn your living room into a colorful rave, the LED strips can now be tuned to generate more natural white light for reading the paper, or just relaxing with some knitting.
Lining up a USB cable with the tiny charging port on your phone is hard enough during the day. At night it might as well be a MENSA test that you’ll always fail. But what if the business end of your USB cable glowed like a beacon in the night when touched? Now you see why it’s time to upgrade.
Even a seasoned race fan can have a hard time knowing what position every single car on a track is in. So starting this past weekend the Verizon IndyCar Series introduced giant LED numbers on every car indicating its current race position, and other metrics fans might be interested in.
If you take a good long look around your living room, you’ll probably be surprised at just how many electronic devices you own that have USB ports. And that’s what makes this ultra-compact flashlight so genius. Plug it into any powered USB port—whether it’s on a computer, an extension cord, or even a portable…
At this point, there are tons of apps that let us know when our trains are running late. But apps aren’t nearly as pretty as an LED light strip set up to blink when something’s wrong with your commute.
Unless you refuse to light the room where you write about conspiracy theories with anything but antiquated incandescent bulbs, you really don’t have a single reason not to upgrade to Philips’ new 60-watt equivalent LED bulbs that cost just five bucks without a utility rebate.
Philips’ Hue line of bulbs and other smartphone-controlled lighting accessories have been some of the more popular and successful home automation products of the past few years. They’re easy to setup, easy to customize, and now easy to use anywhere you need thanks to the new Philips Hue Go—which is powered by a…
A team of researchers has developed a new light-emitting fiber than could be woven into fabrics, providing flexible smart fabrics than can illuminate themselves.
Despite being completely vulnerable to attacks from safety pins, the Baymax robot from last year's Big Hero 6 was just about the best sidekick a kid could have—mostly because it was skilled at treating skinned knees and other injuries. This LED lamp version of Baymax isn't quite as talented, but it can ensure a kid…


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mikejuk writes: Evi, a new rival to Siri, Apple's voice-driven personal assistant, has made its debut on both the iPhone and the Android. And people are so keen to that Evi's servers are overloaded — so be prepared for a wait for answers. Link to Original Source
In a five year period we can get one superb programming language. Only
we can't control when the five year period will begin.


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We live in a tech savvy society in which people recognise and embrace the many benefits of mobile apps and devices and yet, the sales industry remains an exception. We look at reasons for tech resistance in the sales industry and how our sales technology is changing perceptions.
Technology is everywhere and embraced by everyone
A good story is one in which we see our own story. It has relatable characters through which we feel seen and understood. Brand strategist, Peter Kozodoy, says this about the new HBO series Westworld, praising it for its ‘spectacular dissection of humanity’. It’s a story about us as humans.
One of the human tendencies highlighted in Westworld is our willingness to ‘give ourselves over to robots’. Kozodoy here refers to the ease with which we engage with technology, drawing a parallel between the robots on the show and our tech devices on which we become so willingly dependent.
The fact is, digital technology is everywhere and embraced by everyone. There is no lack of willingness to adopt a new mobile app to help you schedule your day, find your way around a foreign city, remember which grocery items you’re running out of or, very importantly, draw up a budget and stick to it.
Whenever we recognise the value an app or tool provides, we’re more than willing to embrace it without question, and we do. Except when it comes to the sales industry.
But why the significant tech resistance in the sales industry?
Over a third (38%) of field sales reps believe technology is ‘more of a hinderance than a help’, according to new research we conducted in the UK. This perspective creates huge resistance to any new technology in the sales environment.
Why is this the case when mobile sales apps provide similar benefits to other apps that help people schedule their days, effectively navigate their way around unknown areas and significantly reduce their workloads?
Our survey revealed that sales organisations are placing a high reliance on ‘low-tech’ such as Excel spreadsheets (48%) and email and instant messaging (41%) for day-to-day updates. These organisations further expect their employees to manage data by using disjointed mixes of tools that aren’t designed for use in the sales field.
‘Technology’ becomes synonymous with ‘tools that interfere with selling’.
We’re changing the perception of sales technology
We’ve found that tech solutions focussing on sales rep needs changes resistance into acceptance, fostering a willingness to use technology. The reason sales people have resisted tech, is because the tech they are being asked to use isn’t designed for them so it really does get in their way.
‘Massive advances in technology provide us with all the components needed to make it easier for salespeople to gather and have access to high quality data – but this isn’t happening – because experience has taught reps and their manager that tech just makes it more difficult, not easier. But this isn’t true. The right technology can make all the difference,’ says Skynamo’s Alliances Director, Brian Howe.
Lionel’s Vet Supplies is an example of a company that’s seen the positive impact of sales technology on their business and whose reps recognise Skynamo’s mobile app as a great help to their selling efforts.
‘The only time the company receives negative feedback from its reps about Skynamo is when they want more training to be able to use it better. They never receive complaints about the app or software, says Jannic Zietsman, Regional Sales Manager at Lionel’s Vet Supplies.
‘Our reps are eager to ask for more training when they struggle with using Skynamo’s mobile technology. We’ve found that the better they understand Skynamo, the easier it makes things for them and the more the company benefits from the information they gather.’
The benefits of embracing the right sales technology is evident in the 25% annual growth Lionel’s Vet registered in sales last year, along with the increase of nearly 200% in customer visits they ascribe to the help of Skynamo’s mobile sales app.


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Blockchain, the technology behind bitcoin will become the “beating heart” of the global financial system in the years to come with 80 per cent of banks expected to have initiated projects focused on it by 2017.
A new 130-page report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) reveals that $1.4 billion (€1.25 billion) has been invested in blockchain over the last three years and more than 2,500 patents have been filed.
It also says more than 90 central banks around the world are currently discussing use of the technology.
The report, which took 12 months to complete and includes input from more than 200 financial services-related organisations, is seen as a major endorsement of the technology, which has previously come in for criticism due to its links with bitcoin, a virtual currency popular with criminals.
The forum predicts blockchain, which is also known as distributed technology ledger (DTL), will fundamentally alter the way financial institutions do business around the world.
The report says blockchain “has great potential to drive simplicity and efficiency” in financial services and “will redraw processes and call into question orthodoxies that are foundational to today’s business models”.
“Our findings suggest this technology has the potential to ‘live-up to the hype’ and reshape financial services, but requires careful collaboration with other emerging technologies, regulators, incumbents and additional stakeholders to be successful,” the report said.
According to the study, the technology could lead to lower fees for consumers, improved regulatory oversight and better preparedness against financial bubbles. However, WEF said blockchain’s impact is likely to be mostly limited to the back-end, with major disruption through innovations such as bitcoin less likely to transform the industry.
"Rather than stay at the margins of the finance industry, blockchain will become the beating heart of it," said Giancarlo Bruno, head of financial services industries, World Economic Forum. "It will help build innovative solutions across the industry, becoming ever more integrated into the structure of financial services, as mainframes, messaging services and electronic trading did before it."
A recent report from consultants PwC, published in late June, also predicted a rosy future for blockchain, suggesting the technology would lead to a "revolution" across the fintech sector.
Although WEF said distributed ledger technology will be transformative it warned it is not a panacea and should be viewed as one of many technologies that will form the foundation of next-generation financial services infrastructure.


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TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC raised its position in ZAGG Inc (NASDAQ:ZAGG) by 2.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 93,133 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after buying an additional 2,261 shares during the period. TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC owned approximately 0.33% of ZAGG worth $806,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. American International Group Inc. lifted its position in shares of ZAGG by 7.0% during the first quarter. American International Group Inc. now owns 16,976 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $122,000 after purchasing an additional 1,117 shares during the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. bought a new position in shares of ZAGG during the second quarter worth about $169,000. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in shares of ZAGG by 0.4% during the first quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 24,142 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $174,000 after purchasing an additional 91 shares during the last quarter. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL bought a new position in shares of ZAGG during the first quarter worth about $195,000. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN lifted its position in shares of ZAGG by 0.4% during the first quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 28,525 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $205,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. 83.13% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
ZAGG has been the topic of a number of recent research reports. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of ZAGG from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, July 22nd. BidaskClub raised shares of ZAGG from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday, August 5th. Craig Hallum reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $23.00 target price (up previously from $16.00) on shares of ZAGG in a report on Thursday, October 19th. Northland Securities raised their target price on shares of ZAGG from $12.00 to $16.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 13th. Finally, Roth Capital set a $9.00 target price on shares of ZAGG and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 2nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The company currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $17.67.
In other ZAGG news, CFO Bradley J. Holiday sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.02, for a total value of $190,200.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 89,587 shares in the company, valued at $1,703,944.74. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, insider Brian Stech sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $18.08, for a total transaction of $361,600.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 99,830 shares of company stock worth $1,903,425 in the last 90 days. 4.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.
TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: “TIAA CREF Investment Management LLC Has $806,000 Holdings in ZAGG Inc (ZAGG)” was first published by Markets Daily and is owned by of Markets Daily. If you are accessing this piece of content on another website, it was copied illegally and republished in violation of U.S. & international trademark & copyright law. The correct version of this piece of content can be accessed at https://www.themarketsdaily.com/2017/11/14/tiaa-cref-investment-management-llc-has-806000-holdings-in-zagg-inc-zagg.html.
Shares of ZAGG Inc (NASDAQ ZAGG) opened at $19.85 on Tuesday. ZAGG Inc has a 12 month low of $5.90 and a 12 month high of $20.43. The company has a market cap of $538.52, a P/E ratio of 74.04, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.90 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a quick ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 1.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07.
ZAGG (NASDAQ:ZAGG) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 1st. The specialty retailer reported $0.34 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.32 by $0.02. ZAGG had a net margin of 0.63% and a return on equity of 6.59%. The company had revenue of $134.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $128.23 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.29 earnings per share. ZAGG’s revenue was up 7.8% compared to the same quarter last year. equities research analysts forecast that ZAGG Inc will post 0.99 EPS for the current fiscal year.
ZAGG Inc (ZAGG) designs, produces and distributes professional product solutions for mobile devices, including screen protection (glass and film), keyboards for tablet computers and mobile devices, keyboard cases, earbuds, mobile power solutions, cables, and cases under the ZAGG and InvisibleShield brands.
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Cannabis extracts have gained wide recognition in recent years and are expected to provide impetus to cannabis market growth. Growing legalization of cannabis in various countries, preference for cannabis oil and tinctures, and adoption of medical marijuana for treating chronic diseases like arthritis, anxiety, and Alzheimer’s are the major factors propelling the growth.
The global cannabis extract market size is expected to be valued at USD 28.5 billion by 2027, according to a new report published by Grand View Research, Inc. It is projected to expand at a CAGR of 16.6% over the forecast period. Based on product type, cannabis extracts are classified into oils and tinctures. The oils segment is expected to dominate the market in 2019 with a revenue of USD 4.8 billion and is anticipated to witness the fastest CAGR of 17.5%, over the forecast period. Based on extract type, the market is segmented into full spectrum cannabis extracts and cannabis isolates.
The full spectrum cannabis extracts dominated the market in 2019, with a revenue of USD 4.3 billion, owing to the added advantage of the entourage effect. Various manufacturers prefer full spectrum cannabis products owing to their advantages over the isolates. Thus, the segment is expected to remain dominant over the forecast period. Active companies in news today include: Canopy Growth Corporation (NASDAQ: CGC) (TSX: WEED), Eco Innovation Group, Inc. (OTCPK: ECOX), Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY), Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB), Sundial Growers Inc. (NASDAQ: SNDL).
Another report from Data Bridge said that the CBD Oil Extract market will emerge rapidly from 2021 to 2027. The report said: “Out of all cannabinoids, cannabidiol is most widely used for therapeutic reasons due to the lack of psychoactive effects. In many medical applications, cannabidiol oil is used, such as anxiety and depression treatment, stress relief, diabetes prevention, pain relief, cancer symptom relief, and inflammation. Due to the increasing adoption of CBD-based products to treat ailments, the global cannabidiol market is anticipated to grow at a lucrative rate over the forecast period. Cannabidiol derived from hemp is anticipated to witness rapid growth owing to increasing demand from the pharmaceutical sector and rising awareness among consumers regarding health. Increasing consumer disposable income along with the legalization of medicinal cannabis is anticipated to have a positive impact on the demand for cannabidiol in the pharmaceutical sector. Oils, tinctures, concentrate, capsules, topical solutions such as slaves, lip balms, lotions, and edibles such as baked goods, coffee, chocolates, gums, and candies are some of the CBD products which are in high demand.”
Eco Innovation Group, Inc. (OTCPK: ECOX) BREAKING NEWS – Eco Innovation Group™ Signs Definitive Agreement and Commences Manufacturing of Next-Gen Supercritical Plant Extraction Device – Eco Innovation Group, Inc. (OTCPK: ECOX) (“ECOX” or the “Company”), an innovative company aggregating investments in new technologies that promote environmental and social well-being and the advancement of green energy solutions, announced today it has signed a Definitive Agreement with Fluitron, Inc. (“Fluitron”), and has commenced production for the development and manufacturing of a fully functional prototype based on the specialized non-CO2 novel supercritical extraction technology exclusively licensed to ECOX™ by Glytech, LLC (“Glytech”).
Fluitron Inc., a Pennsylvania-based advanced pressure technology manufacturing company is manufacturing the prototype of the patent-pending extraction technology for ECOX.
Unlike current technology in the marketplace, this technology utilizes a non-CO2 solvent and cofactors to extract selected bioactive compounds from plant materials. The result is an extracted fluid superior in viscosity to the output of current CO2 -based extraction methods, while streamlining time, energy, and capital costs.
According to ECOX, this technology allows for larger yields in a more affordable process. It makes extraction more efficient and more consistent. This will allow customers to get the same product every time which is not currently the case with current extraction methods in use today including super critical C02. With a more fluid solution that is created by super critical extraction, it is expected that one can automate the process. It is expected that this technology will generate lower overhead costs to manufacturers and creates better overall yields.
Julia Otey-Raudes, President and CEO of Eco Innovation Group, said, “We are extremely pleased to have achieved this important milestone and now that we have begun the manufacturing process, we’re really excited to get this first one finished, and to show it to the world later this year. This has blockbuster potential and represents a huge opportunity for ECOX and businesses that move quickly to recognize this potential early to gain tremendous competitive advantage.”
This next generational technology is ideal for extraction technology for high-value plant-based products including licensed cannabis extraction products, and active compounds for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, nutraceutical and other markets. Read more about ECOX by visiting: https://www.ecoig.com/
In other industry news of note:
Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NASDAQ: CGC), a world-leading diversified cannabis, CBD and vaporization device company, recently announced the appointment of Martha Stewart as the company’s official strategic advisor. In this new role, Martha will expand upon her existing relationship with the company, leveraging her vast knowledge of product development and branding expertise, to provide the company with dedicated counsel ranging from product innovation to format development and strategic partnerships.
Martha’s appointment comes on the heels of the successful launch of Martha Stewart CBD in partnership with Marquee Brands and Canopy Growth. Launched in Fall 2020, the product line offers high-quality, CBD wellness supplements including gummies, softgels, and oil drops with flavor profiles inspired by some of Martha’s most popular recipes. Martha Stewart CBD for Pet also launched earlier this year and includes oil drops and soft-baked chews in three gourmet flavor combinations and formulas designed to support pet mental and physical well-being.
Tilray, Inc. (NASDAQ:TLRY) and Aphria Inc. recently announced the completion of the previously announced business combination, ushering in a new era in the global cannabis industry. The combined company, which will operate as Tilray (the “Company”), brings together two highly complementary businesses to create the leading cannabis-focused consumer packaged goods (“CPG”) company with the largest global geographic footprint in the industry. The combined company had a market cap of approximately US$8.2 billion based on the closing stock prices on April 30, 2021.
The Company’s class 2 common stock (“Tilray Shares”) will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Exchange under the ticker symbol “TLRY” and will commence trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “TLRY” on May 5, 2021. As previously announced, each Aphria shareholder received 0.8381 of a Tilray Share for each Aphria common share (each an “Aphria Share”) held on April 30, 2021, the effective time of the transaction. Holders of Tilray Shares prior to the completion of the transaction continue to hold their Tilray Shares with no adjustment as a result of the transaction. An early warning report in respect of the Company’s acquisition of all of the outstanding Aphria Shares pursuant to the transaction will be filed on SEDAR and will be available under Aphria’s issuer profile at www.sedar.com.
Aurora Germany GmbH, a subsidiary of Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB), the Canadian company defining the future of cannabinoids worldwide, and Grow Group PLC (“Grow”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on improving access to cannabis-based medicines in the United Kingdom (“UK”), recently announced the extension of their long-standing strategic relationship by signing a two-year market access services agreement for the UK. Aurora was one of the first companies to enter into a strategic relationship with Grow in August 2019 and since then, both companies have become leaders in the rapidly growing medical cannabis market in the UK.
“We are delighted to extend our existing strategic relationship with Grow,” stated Miguel Martin, Chief Executive Officer of Aurora Cannabis. “We have worked successfully with Grow and their joint venture partner, IPS, since entering the UK market. Renewing this agreement will help to broaden access for patients by leveraging Grow’s work educating physicians and creating awareness of medical cannabis options. Aurora is committed to providing access to legally produced high-quality pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis to address the needs of the growing European medical cannabis market, made possible with our EU GMP facility, Aurora Nordic.”
Sundial Growers Inc. (NASDAQ: SNDL) and Inner Spirit Holdings Ltd. recently announced that they have entered into an arrangement agreement (the “Agreement”) pursuant to which Sundial will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Inner Spirit for total consideration of approximately $131 million (the “Transaction”). The combined company will continue to focus on providing quality cannabis to consumers through a responsible and disciplined approach while creating enduring value for shareholders.
Under the terms of the Agreement, Inner Spirit’s shareholders will receive, for each Inner Spirit common share held, (i) $0.30 in cash and (ii) 0.0835 of a Sundial common share (representing $0.09 per Inner Spirit common share based on the 10-day volume-weighted average price (“VWAP”) of Sundial common shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market), for total consideration of $0.39 per Inner Spirit common share. The purchase price of $0.39 per Inner Spirit common share represents a premium of 54.8% to the 10-day VWAP of Inner Spirit common shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “CSE”) and a premium of 62.5% to the closing price of Inner Spirit common shares on the CSE on May 4, 2021. The Transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of Sundial and Inner Spirit and is expected to close early in the third quarter of 2021.
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IndiGo has expanded its flight network, whether internationally or domestic, extensively this year. The low-cost carrier started new flights, inculcated new aircraft into its fleet and launched a wide range of services along with attractive offers for the flyers. In a new move, the Interglobe Aviation owned airline has signed a codeshare and mutual cooperation agreement with Turkish Airline, a member of Star Alliance. This new codeshare agreement which will be mutually beneficial for both IndiGo, as well as Turkish Airline, will come into effect after approval from all necessary boards and authorities. When in effect, the agreement will allow both the airlines to extend various services and more flexibility of choice to the flyers on sectors between India, Istanbul and beyond.
IndiGo Taking Long Strides for International Expansion
It is worth noting that among other plans of IndiGo’s international expansion strategy, this is the first codeshare agreement that the airline has signed. By the help of this new agreement, not only will Turkish Airlines be offering new destinations in India as a Marketing Carrier on IndiGo operated flights, but IndiGo customers will also be able to travel to many European destinations via Turkish Airlines’ large network.
On this occasion, Mr. Rahul Bhatia, Director and Interim Chief Executive Officer of IndiGo said, “We are very excited to be launching our first codeshare with Turkish Airlines: apart from supporting our upcoming direct services to Istanbul, this strategic partnership will expand the choices available to our customers for journeys beyond Istanbul, using Turkish Airlines’ extensive network.”
6E and TK to Exchange Places
Turkish Airlines and IndiGo will both be able to provide extensive connectivity and seamless travel options to their passengers. Additionally, they will be able to provide services like through check-in and many other facilities. Also, IndiGo will place its code “6E” on 20 points beyond Istanbul operated by Turkish Airlines. On the same lines, Turkish Airlines will also place its code “TK” on IndiGo operated flights in India.
The IndiGo CEO, further added, “It will become possible for our customers to book itineraries into many cities in Europe on IndiGo, using Turkish Airlines and experiencing their renowned in-flight service.”
Mr Bilal Ekşi, the CEO and Deputy Chairman of the Board, Turkish Airlines, also remarked during this time, “We are very happy to host new operators in our main hub Istanbul, and IndiGo will be the first Indian carrier starting flights to Turkey which is very welcome. We believe that it would be great opportunity to improve our cooperation with our new Codeshare partner IndiGo, which will provide new services and destinations for our passengers travelling to/from India.”


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Metro3D has announced that it has added Threat Con Delta to its 2003 lineup. The game takes place as terrorists attempt to take over the world and players defend their homeland by manning one of several realistically rendered attack helicopters, each with its own arsenal of deadly weaponry. Missions contain multiple objectives, and players can use terrain to their advantage as they try to overpower enemy forces and survive heavy attacks.
"Threat Con Delta is a fantastic addition to Metro3D's library of titles scheduled for release in Q4 2003 and will appeal to enthusiasts who love action and smart combat strategy," said Joseph Morici, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Metro3D. "Broadening our depth of offerings for the ever-popular PlayStation 2 game console, Threat Con Delta pushes the wargame category to a new level where traditional war strategies meet modern-day guerilla warfare and terrorism."
Threat Con Delta is scheduled to ship in November for the PlayStation 2.


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Over the last 12 months Empathy.co has also announced some major customer wins, including Kroger, Inditex, Matas and Carrefour. The company remains 100 per cent self-funded by the founders, so it can control its own destiny and ensure all profits are reinvested in growth and development of its platform.
Looking to 2021 and beyond, the company anticipates a further 71 per cent revenue growth from its Empathy Platform customers. This pace of growth will be accelerated by new hires from more locations, scouting top talent from local universities on the North West of Spain, such as Coruna and Oviedo.
Empathy.co has also planned to launch Motive.co, a new service for local shops and small enterprises as a plug-in to existing Commerce Platforms.
Angel Maldonado, CEO, Empathy.co said; “In this new era, digital experiences evolve into relations where the brand aspires to become a companion to the consumer. Customers are tired of cold automated services and seek moments of joy where they feel understood in sites and apps they can trust.
“Fortunately, many consumer-facing brands embrace the power of empathy in their identities, which justifies soaring uptake of our products, despite the general economic hardship caused by Covid-19 on a global scale.
“We have huge plans and hopes for the future, we feel this new era as one filled with human value and purpose, with the source of our vision.”
With dual headquarters in London, UK and Asturias, Spain, Empathy is a leading innovator in commerce search and discovery, with over 150 specialised researchers and engineers.
Empathy is committed to building human-centred commerce search and discovery platforms that empower big brands to create trustworthy, understanding and joyful commerce experiences. Trusted by leaders including Carrefour, Kroger, Inditex and Vodafone, Empathy believes technology will empower brands to respect the individual, serve the community and thrive through these relationships.


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South African firms Webber Wentzel and ENSafrica are advising on Walmart’s acquisition of the shares it does not already own in Johannesburg-based retail chain Massmart.
Webber Wentzel is advising Walmart and ENSafrica is advising Massmart on the purchase and delisting deal, according to a Johannesburg Stock Exchange announcement.
The transaction follows an original purchase in 2010 when Walmart acquired a 51% stake in Massmart, which has a current market cap of $750 million, and according to its website operates 408 stores in 13 sub-Saharan countries.
A 13-strong Webber Wentzel team advising Walmart on the $78.93-a-share deal was led by senior partner and chairman Christo Els and partner and head of corporate Ziyanda Ntshona.
They were supported by partner Safiyya Patel, tax directors Graham Viljoen and Neo Penn, senior tax manager Bianca Kuhn, and senior associates Mncedisi Mpungose and Tebogo Moloko, and a number of associates and candidate attorneys.
ENSafrica is advising Massmart with an 11-strong team led by Lydia Shadrach-Razzino and including partners Carine Pick, Mansoor Parker, Craig Saven, and Sean Lederman, according to a spokesperson at the firm.
White & Case is advising Goldmans Sachs as financial adviser to Walmart and as the provider of the guarantee required for the acquisition. The team is being led by Johannesburg partners Lionel Shawe and Craig Atkinson and featured New York partner Joseph Brazil and London partners Melissa Butler and Anthony Colegrave.
Massmart’s recent interim results reflect headwinds faced by the group’s operating businesses.
The announcement of the agreement came ahead of Amazon setting up a major presence in Cape Town and in Nigeria next year, as reported by Law.com in April 2021, which is expected to shake up the retail market across Africa.


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Reports: Capital One pulls out of Isis mobile wallet platform
Isis kicked off mobile wallet trials in late 2012 in partnership with Capital One and rival payment services firms Chase and Barclaycard. This summer, Isis announced plans to extend its services nationwide following consumer pilots in the Austin, Texas and Salt Lake City markets, also expanding beyond Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android to support Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS, Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) Windows Phone and BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY). But in an email sent to consumers, Capital One said it is pulling out of the program.
"Our pilot test with Isis will be coming to an end soon," a Capital One spokesperson told NFC World. "We have gained valuable insights from our customers who were among the first to pay with the Isis Mobile Wallet. We continue to engage with Isis on the future of mobile payments."
Capital One's decision underlines the challenges facing Isis as its platform launches nationwide. Isis faces stiff competition from rivals like PayPal and Merchant Customer Exchange, the forthcoming m-commerce network led by retailers including Walmart, Target, Best Buy and 7-Eleven; moreover, Isis also must combat retailer resistance to NFC point-of-sale technology. Another challenger, Google Wallet, announced Tuesday it will drop its requirement that compatible devices must contain a NFC chip with a secure element.
"Capital One dropping its support for Isis is significant in what it telegraphs about the problems issuers will continue to face with the wallet provider," Yankee Group analyst Jordan McKee told Mobile Commerce Daily. "Issuers must pay each time a consumer loads their card onto the wallet. The caveat is that whether or not a consumer uses the card, the issuer must pay to have it in the Isis Wallet. Card issuers are interested in encouraging card spend whereas Isis is purely interested in getting consumers to link their cards to the wallet. This conflict of interest will continue to be problematic."
But Aite Group senior analyst Rick Oglesby believes that the gains made by companies like PayPal and Apple, which is integrating new user security safeguards and iTunes purchase capabilities into its new iPhone 5s, could benefit Isis moving forward.
"Many financial institutions and merchant acquirers see PayPal and Apple as threats and the moves that these companies are making could cause financial institutions, payment networks and acquirers to accelerate their mobile payments efforts in response to the perceived threat," Oglesby said. "Since Isis is looking to partner with the financial institutions, payment networks and acquirers, the moves made by Apple and PayPal could drive partners into Isis' embrace."
Isis adds American Express Serve payments to mobile wallet
Isis m-commerce network rolling out nationwide, expanding to iOS, Windows Phone
Isis, USA Technologies team for mobile wallet loyalty program
Isis: Average user makes five transactions per week
Isis, USA Technologies team to expand mobile payments to vending machines
Isis launches consumer trials with nine NFC-equipped Android phones


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What a scoop
Starbucks are now selling ice-cream…but you can only get it in certain shops
Selected stores are now starting to serve 'affogato' - ice cream with either hot or cold coffee tipped on top
FROM milk and sugar to syrup shots and cream, there are already a whole array of items you can add to your Starbucks coffee.
But the chain has now announced it will be adding another ingredient to its menu – ice cream.
From this week, selected shops will start serving ‘affogato’ – ice cream with either cold or hot coffee tipped on top.
Affogato, which means drowned in Italian, is a traditional dessert which sees the ice cream served alongside an espresso shot.
And Starbucks will be offering their take on the dish which includes a cold brew ice cream float and a cold brew malt, that are blended with ice cream, malt and chocolate bitters.
However, ice cream will only be on sale as a trial at 100 Starbucks stores in California for the time being and the treats will cost around $6 (£4.80).
Pricier versions of the dessert will also be on sale at Starbucks’s special reserve bars, also in America.
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And if the ice cream goes down well, it could spread out to other stores and also see other new items added to the menu.
Starbucks spokeswoman Holly Hart Shafer confirmed that ice cream was first introduced at the company’s Roastery store in Seattle, which tests out potential new menu items.
Earlier this week, we told you how you can easily skip the queue at Starbucks while waiting for your morning coffee.
And have you ever wondered why there’s a ridge on the top of your Starbucks lid? We have the answer.
Are Starbucks misspelling your name on the cup on purpose?


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Rian Hicks, 32, is charged with one count of fraud under $5,000.
It's alleged that he defrauded "monies and/or goods" below that value from a woman in St. John's last May.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary confirmed that the fraud charge was filed "in relation to a dog."
Hicks is due to appear in provincial court in St. John's on April 8.
CBC Investigates reached Hicks by phone at his Montreal home on Tuesday. He declined comment when asked about the charge and court date.
In November, CBC Investigates found that Hicks was embroiled in disputes with several of his Facebook customers.
The customers claimed they had each paid Hicks hundreds of dollars to cover the price of the animals and shipping costs, but months later, hadn't received their promised pets.
Meanwhile, Hicks told CBC Investigates at the time that he had hundreds of happy customers in Newfoundland, and maintained that he hadn't done anything wrong.
"The people that [are] sending me the money for animals, is either they're not finished sending me the money that they owe me for the animals, or they're too cheap to pay for the shipping to get them home," Hicks said in November.
Hicks still has many pets for sale on his public Facebook profile, with dozens of pictures of different breeds of cats and dogs, from boxers and Boston terriers to Yorkies, Chihuahuas, and Himalayan kittens.
Also on HuffPost


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This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on August 23, 2021 - August 29, 2021
PENANG-based semiconductor equipment vendor and automation house Pentamaster Corp Bhd is the latest company to embark on the diversification route to increase its revenue streams and generate sustainable earnings growth.
While its peers ViTrox Corp Bhd and MI Technovation Bhd have gone into precision smart farming and semiconductor materials business respectively, Pentamaster is venturing into the medical device industry (MDI). The group is producing single-use medical devices such as dual-safety pen needles and safety intravenous catheter (IVC), which are mostly sold through distributor agents.
Pentamaster, together with Greatech Technology Bhd, ViTrox and MI Technovation, are known as the Big Four automated test equipment (ATE) manufacturers listed on Bursa Malaysia.
Pentamaster co-founder and chairman Chuah Choon Bin says the local ATE companies are diversifying into various sectors as they ascribe to the adage of “not putting all of one’s eggs into the same basket”.
“As technology gets more mature, the red ocean is coming in. China is up and coming in the semiconductor sector. The Chinese firms are executing their plans very fast. What you can do this year, China might be able to do it next year, and probably cheaper and better than you,” he tells The Edge in a telephone interview.
To remain ahead of the game, ATE manufacturers such as Pentamaster are thinking about the sustainability of their companies. “We do not want to sell our products at lower prices just to compete with our competitors. We need to look into multiple avenues of growing our businesses. We have to sustain our profitability and profit margins. If you think about it, most of us are not going into industries that we are totally unfamiliar with,” Chuah points out.
For instance, Pentamaster is going into the medical sector because it has the automation and equipment know-how, he says. As for the other local ATE firms, some of them are going into smart farming, battery or solar automation as they have their respective core technology to do so.
Chuah, 60, is the single largest shareholder of Pentamaster with a 19.73% stake. An electronics and electrical engineering graduate from University of Auckland, New Zealand, he previously served as an automation engineer for National Semiconductor and Intel Technology Malaysia.
Other prominent names among its top 30 shareholders include Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan) (KWAP), the Employees Provident Fund (EPF), Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB), Lembaga Tabung Haji, AIA Bhd, Kenanga Growth Fund and two Vanguard funds.
Pentamaster has four major business segments, namely ATE, MDI, factory automation solutions (FAS) and warehouse automation systems (WAS). The group has two plants in Penang: one in Bayan Lepas, which also acts as its main office, and another in Batu Kawan.
Notably, 2021 marks Pentamaster’s 30th anniversary, the company’s 18th year of listing on Bursa Malaysia and also the third anniversary of 63%-owned Pentamaster International Ltd’s (PIL) listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Pentamaster ventured into MDI before the Covid-19 outbreak and was thus ready when the pandemic broke out.
As for its FAS business segment, the company has further diversified its services by providing medical assembly and medical automation solutions to clients. Its ATE division, meanwhile, contributes about 70% to group revenue and the remaining 30% is derived from its FAS division.
Chuah, however, expects the MDI and WAS divisions to each contribute 5% to Pentamaster’s revenue in the financial years ending Dec 31, 2021 and 2022 (FY2021 and FY2022), while contribution from the FAS division is expected to increase to 35% and the ATE division to reduce to 55%.
“Among the four business segments, we are particularly excited about the growth story of our MDI division as we expect its contribution to increase further to 5% to 10% by FY2023,” he says.
Pentamaster will be spending RM60 million between FY2021 and FY2023 to develop its MDI manufacturing business at its 3.5-acre plant in Batu Kawan as well as setting up a new plant in the area.
“Once completed, we expect 70% of the capacity from our existing Batu Kawan plant to be occupied by the MDI business,” says Chuah.
Pentamaster is also applying to Penang Development Corp (PDC) to acquire 10 acres in Batu Kawan for future expansion projects. “We plan to build a 200,000 sq ft manufacturing facility there, which will be the third plant for the group, focusing on MDI, WAS and FAS,” he adds.
The group generated a net profit of RM70.88 million on revenue of RM418.77 million in FY2020. It reported its highest-ever quarterly revenue of RM130.64 million in the second quarter ended June 30, 2021 (2QFY2021), with a net profit of RM17.93 million. This brings its revenue and net profit for 1HFY2021 to RM245.81 million and RM34.01 million respectively.
“In the next three to five years, we target our revenue to achieve double-digit growth every year. By venturing into new businesses like MDI and WAS, Pentamaster could continue to grow besides relying on ATE and FAS,” says Chuah.
He notes that the operations of many medical device manufacturers remain labour-intensive. But Pentamaster’s advantage is that it is essentially an automation and equipment firm. In other words, when the company is making medical devices, its manufacturing processes can be highly automated.
Chuah says manufacturing of medical devices involves more precision parts moulding and mechanical assembly. So, for Pentamaster, making medical devices is not as big a challenge as making semiconductor equipment.
“However, MDI’s barriers to entry are high, to obtain all the approvals and certifications from healthcare authorities, as well as to maintain the consistency and quality compliance of our products. We need to make sure that our medical devices do not have any quality defects.”
In spite of the stringent requirements, Chuah says Pentamaster is confident of obtaining these approvals due to its experienced engineering team and automation approach to provide consistency in quality and compliance. “We can add value to our MDI products from quality throughput to cost with a highly automated manufacturing process. We design and build the equipment ourselves. We have a machine vision inspection system and test equipment to make sure all the medical devices manufactured are auto inspected and tested to ensure standards compliance,” he says.
He adds that pen needles and IVCs are just a start for Pentamaster’s MDI manufacturing business. Moving forward, the group intends to expand its product portfolio to include other products such as safety syringes, scalpel and suture kits, lancets, dialysis filters, scalp vein sets and blood collection tubes.
“We have seen higher demand for these single-use medical devices since the Covid-19 outbreak. Nowadays, people are less willing to go to hospitals, so we see more people buying pen needles for home use. Meanwhile, many hospitals are still full of Covid-19 patients, who would also need IVCs.
“With our advanced manufacturing technology, we aim to be one of the global players in the medical device manufacturing sector,” he says.
Shares in Pentamaster had gained over 5% year to date (YTD) to close at RM5.42 last Wednesday, giving it a market capitalisation of RM3.86 billion. The counter is currently trading at a historical price-earnings ratio (PER) of 54.2 times.
In contrast, PIL’s share price has dropped close to 9% YTD to settle at HK$1.03, bringing its market value to HK$2.47 billion. The stock carries a PER of merely 10.2 times.
Comparing the share price performance of the two listed vehicles, Chuah acknowledges that the stock valuation of Hong Kong-listed PIL is lower. “Like it or not, we are still a small stock in the eyes of international investors. I guess Malaysian investors are more familiar with ATE companies like us. Essentially, PIL and Pentamaster are the same company. But from a stock investing perspective, I would say PIL is a steady stock while Pentamaster is a more exciting one,” he says.
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Shadow Inflation and the Effect on Inventory Carrying CostsBy Logan Wamsley
Most people are familiar with the concept of inflation, a monetary phenomenon that occurs when individual currently loses its value. As a result, basic goods and services increase their prices to maintain profitability, while personal income such as wages often stay stagnant as individuals see their dollars stretching less and less. Taken to its extreme, inflation creates situations like what was seen in post-WWI Germany, when workers would have to paid with literally wheelbarrows full of money due to its almost negligible value (in some cases, money was even burned for warmth). While the situation is nowhere near as dire as that, the U.S. is currently experiencing the worst bout of inflation in a decade, due primarily to issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of this writing, the inflation rate from 2020 to 2021 stands at 5.39%.
What is less known, however, is the phenomenon known as “shadow inflation”. While the effect is the same, the cause is slightly different; instead of the cost of goods and services rising, costs instead remain the same on the surface. The difference is in the quantity and quality of goods and services. A bottle of soda may be slightly smaller, or a bag of potato chips may be slightly less full, but the price tag remains unchanged. In the end, the customer ends up paying the same, but the decrease in returns results in the same devaluation of currency as traditional inflation.
It is “shadow inflation” that is currently a cause for concern in the supply chain community. According to many supply chain analysts, ocean container shipping companies have been offering services that have significantly declined in quality from what was offered a year ago.
As an article from FreightWaves explains, this phenomenon can be most clearly seen when measuring shipping time. “If I already own a product and I took possession of it overseas at the port of departure, and it’s on my balance sheet and it’s just sitting on the water, then in inventory management, there is a charge incurred every day it’s not sold,” said Jason Miller, associate professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University. “There is the cost of capital. Every $100 in inventory is $100 that can’t be allocated elsewhere for a more value-producing purpose. There is also the cost due to obsolescence. It’s essentially opportunity costs. The longer the delay, the more additional costs from stockouts [as shelves empty] or the need to buy more safety stock.”
As shipping times increase, the inherent carrying costs will weigh more and more heavily on consumers. “A large importer pays $4,000 in freight under a contract to ship a high-value cargo of $250,000 worth of electronics in a 40-foot box,” writes Greg Miller, Senior Editor at FreightWaves. “There is a 30% annual carrying cost, in part due to high obsolescence risk, thus a carrying cost of $205 per day, so a 10-day delay would equate to an accounting cost of $2,050, adding 51% on top of the freight cost.”
Partstat Inventory Ownership Solutions and Storage Solutions were created to minimize carrying costs. In fact, through our Inventory Ownership Solutions, our customers save an average of 42% in annual carrying costs, while offering the use of warehousing facilities second to none in the industry. This savings results in increased budgetary flexibility that can now allow for increased research and development, expansion, hiring new talent, or even simply increased savings to safeguard against unforeseen risks such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
With shadow inflation a very real cause for concern in today’s business landscape, manufacturers should be aware and ready.


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- Dalal Street Corner: Metals drag benchmark indices; what should investors do on Tuesday?
- Zomato's net loss widens to Rs 360 cr on higher expenses; Ramco Cement's profit dips, Patel Engineering back in black
- Economic challenges remain on global, environmental fronts; India capable to deal with them: M&M MD & CEO Ani
- Exclusive: Government may release names of Drone PLI beneficiaries ahead of 30 June deadline, source tells Zee Business
- Samsung Galaxy A73 5G to heat up mid-premium segment
Vivo NEX priced at Rs 44,990 launched in India on Amazon
Updated: July 19, 2018 21:45 pm
Vivo NEX smartphone was launched in India after China. The smartphone comes with bezel-less display without a notch, motorized pop-up selfie camera, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.


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Sending sexually explicit text messages is not limited to unruly teens, according to a new article from the American Association of Retired Persons. The report highlights several individual cases of retirement-age individuals who like to...
Here's our full review of the Logitech G910 Orion Spark mechanical gaming keyboard
The Tesoro Excalibur: An affordable mechanical keyboard
2014: Top five unusual news stories of the year
Microsoft's low end smartphone strategy needs a reboot
Latest deals in the Steam Holiday Sale 2014
Steam Holiday Sale 2014
View our coverage on Windows 10
If you grow old in Japan, expect to be served food by a robot, ride a voice-recognition wheelchair or even possibly hire a nurse in a robotic suit — all examples of cutting-edge technology to...
A new search engine, Cranky.com, was launched earlier this week and plans to profit from age-specific ads by targeting the 50-year-old-plus baby boomer. The man behind the site is Jeff Taylor, known for founding the...
In what analysts estimate is a project worth more than $100 million, Citibank is switching out a decades-old set of back-office corporate banking systems in all of its overseas corporate offices to install a single...


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It has not been a good couple of weeks for General Motors. Just last week, they announced they were recalling over 500,000 vehicles due to problems, and now, to make matters even worse, this past Monday they released a statement saying they were having to recall another 3.14 million vehicles. (No, that’s not a typo – they really are recalling over 3 million vehicles).
They issued the recall to fix a problem with the ignition switches in several models ranging from the year 2000 all the way up to the year 2014. Apparently, if drivers have key rings with too much weight on them, the extra weight could cause the key to change positions in the ignition, affecting the power steering and braking, and possibly even shutting off the engine while driving. It’s unknown why it took this long for them to discover this problem, but at least they’re offering to do something to fix it now.
Listed below are the affected models mentioned in this latest General Motors recall, according to their statement:
Buick Lacrosse (2005-2009), Chevrolet Impala (2006-2014), Cadillac Deville (2000-2005), Cadillac DTS (2004-2011), Buick Lacerne (2006-2011), Buick Regal LS/GS (2004-2005), Chevrolet Monte Carlo (2006-2008).
If you find yourself with one of the aforementioned vehicles, you can take it to a General Motors dealership to have the issue corrected. GM is also urging you to only carry the minimum amount of keys you need on your key ring until the issue is finally resolved.
Have you been affected by this recall? Please let us know in the comments section below!
[Image via ClickOnDetroit]


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A Tokyo court has ruled that Samsung infringed on Apple's patent covering a "bounce-back" feature used on the latter's smartphones and tablets.
Reuters reported Friday that Apple had alleged Samsung copied its "bounce-back" function, in which icons on smartphones and tablets quiver back when users scroll to the end of an electronic document.
Samsung has already changed its interface on recent models to show a blue line at the end of documents, the report noted.
The court's decision comes after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in April said Apple's patent for the "bounce-back" feature was invalid, allowing older Samsung models with a similar feature to remain on sale.
The resignation Monday of Yuko Obuchi, Japan's industry minister, was a heavy blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the cabinet he named last month. And there are concerns in the government and ruling parties that Obuchi is only the first in a string of coming cabinet resignations. (Nikkei)
Check the locks on all the Colonel Sanders statues in Osaka, because the Hanshin Tigers are headed back to the Japan Series and it was a big home run from a bearded foreign star that helped get them there. (Japan Times)
The government on Friday approved Central Japan Railway Co.'s plan to construct the Linear Chuo Shinkansen line, paving the way for the 2027 start of magnetic levitation train service connecting Tokyo and Nagoya in 40 minutes. (The Japan News)
Osaka Prefectural Police on Friday arrested two male suspects for allegedly dumping a large quantity of adult video (AV) material inside a park in Nishinari Ward, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Oct. 17). (Tokyo Reporter)
Empress Michiko celebrated her 80th birthday on Monday. In a statement distributed to media by the Imperial Household Agency, the empress said she hoped the world could find peace ahead of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II next year. (Japan Today)
The Nagano prefectural government's disaster response headquarters said Thursday it has decided to end its search this year for missing hikers on Mt. Ontake due to the growing risk of secondary accidents. (The Japan News)


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When the auto- clutch gears are no longer required, the cruze gears become the new automatic gear, and the gearbox gets a new name.
The new gearbox will be the Cruze automatic.
The Cruze is an automatic that is designed to keep gearboxes from falling out of gear in the event of a collision.
It’s got four speed settings, which you can change with the touch of a button.
The Cruze gearbox has been designed to last through the years and the Cruzie automatic has been out for a while.
But cruze is still the name of the automatic gear.
Gearbox manufacturer GTSgear has announced that it is changing the name.
“We wanted to make sure that we stuck to the name that is currently used by Cruze Auto Clutch and that is a Cruze Automatic,” said Paul Mathers, GTSGear’s chief engineer, in a statement.
“We also wanted to keep the name Cruze, the iconic name of our products.
We’re delighted that the Crux Auto Clutcher name is now used on our new automatic, so it’s going to continue to be Cruze.”
The Crux is the same name as the automatic that was out for nearly two decades.
Gearboxes are still used in other vehicles and for a few of the cars in the Jeep family, including the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Jeep Wrangler and the Jeep Liberty.
But Cruze auto- clutch is the name for the automatic system in all of these vehicles, and that name has stuck for nearly a decade.GTSgear says that they have been using the name “Cruze” since the 1980s and that they’re thrilled that the name is coming back to the Jeep brand.
“It is a big deal to us,” Mather said.
“The Cruzies name has been in our family for decades.
The name is synonymous with our products, and it’s very well known around the Jeep world.”GTS gears have a range of gears ranging from 3,600 rpm to 6,000 rpm, and they can also be set to automatically adjust gear ratios to ensure that the car stays in gear.
Gears are still a part of most Jeep Wranglers, but they’ve been phased out for the Wrangler Renegade and Renegade Titanium.
It is not the first time that a brand name has changed, and GTS gears are not the only brands to have had their names changed in the past.
Earlier this year, the Dodge Challenger name was changed to “Sierra” by Chrysler.
In 2011, Volkswagen changed the name on the Golf GTI, the last Volkswagen to come with an automatic transmission.
The Golf GTi is the only car to have the automatic transmission option.


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In a challenging economic climate, exploring opportunities in overseas markets can provide a welcome source of growth for many UK-based businesses. With the world market for security and fire protection valued at around £176.8bn and the UK ranked sixth in the global security export business, exporting is becoming an increasingly attractive option for UK-based security companies looking to generate growth.
With this in mind, raising awareness in overseas markets of the quality of UK security products and services is a key function of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) – the trade association representing the UK’s private security industry – and in particular its Export Council, a dedicated forum for BSIA member companies who are focused on extending their local business to overseas markets.
According to a recent market report by research company, Keynote, there are significant opportunities for the UK’s share of the global security market to increase in the coming years. As such, the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) has developed a ‘Top Ten Tips’ guide to provide valuable advice to UK security companies interested in developing their business links abroad.
John Davies, Chairman of the BSIA’s Export Council, comments: “However enthusiastic companies may be, there are many challenges that they may face when developing their business abroad. Market forces, timing and cultural factors can conspire to have a significant impact on exporting opportunities, so research and preparation is essential.
“For UK security companies considering taking the first steps towards exporting their products and services, members of the BSIA’s specialist Export Council have compiled their top ten tips for getting started, which includes advice on making and developing contacts, how to get the best out of UKTI and British Embassies, and what pitfalls to avoid.”
The handy one-page guide can be downloaded from the BSIA’s website, where interested parties can also find out more about the BSIA’s Export Council and its work in promoting UK security companies to overseas buyers.


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South Africa May Ban Wine Festivals to Curb Drinking: Bus. DayAntony Sguazzin
South Africa is considering a ban on wine festivals and competitions as part of a curb on alcohol advertizing, Business Day reported, citing proposed legislation that’s yet-to-be published.
Online wine retailers and rating platforms may also be banned, Melvyn Freeman, head of non-communicable diseases for the country’s Department of Health, said, according to the Johannesburg-based newspaper.
The measures, if enacted, will damage the wine industry, said Michael Fridjohn, a wine industry professor at the University of Cape Town.


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Rockstar Games, the makers of the wildly successful Grand Theft Auto series, has confirmed the name and back-story for its next downloadable episode of last year's Grand Theft Auto IV.
The Xbox 360 exclusive will be titled The Ballad of Gay Tony. Due out this fall for 1,600 Microsoft Points (about $25) or available on a disc for $40 with the previous Grand Theft Auto IV add-on, The Lost and Damned, players will control Luis Lopez, the seedy assistant to Anthony "Gay Tony" Prince, an associate of the Ancelotti crime family in Liberty City.
You might remember Lopez and Prince from the "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" mission in Grand Theft Auto IV, a game that moved more than 3.6 million units worldwide the day it was launched in April 2008 (and raked in more than $600 million in sales in its first week).
The game publisher says the expansion – which will require the main Grand Theft Auto IV disc to play – will focus on an upscale nightclub.
Contrasting that with the biker gangs and gritty streets portrayed in The Lost and Damned offers "a lot of new game-play possibilities," Rockstar founder Sam Houser said in a company statement.
As to what these new game-play possibilities are, stay tuned for the emerging details.
New Modern Warfare 2 trailer unveiled
Gamers who are fanatical about Infinity Ward's Call of Duty series – and there are legions of them – were likely disappointed with the brief teaser trailers for the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
Bowing to player pressure, perhaps, Infinity Ward (an Activision-owned game studio) last week delivered the first real taste of what's to come with an intense two-minute trailer, aptly titled "Reveal," showing off both game-play and cinematic sequences. Players aged 17 and older can watch the trailer online at modernwarfare2.infinityward.com.
The sequel to Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the critically lauded first-person shooter that has sold more than 13 million units worldwide, again drops players into a fictional near future in which a Russian ultranationalist threatens world security.
Screenshots were recently unveiled to show off some of the game's new locations, including the streets of Rio de Janeiro.
Modern Warfare 2 is due out Nov. 10 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. Expect the game to take home a few "Best of Show" nods at next week's E3 Expo in Los Angeles.


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MOSCOW and SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Game Insight, a global leader in publishing mobile and social games, announces its newest game Rule The Kingdom for Android devices. To mark this momentous occasion, Game Insight has released an announcement trailer to give players a glimpse at the city-building and role-playing action to come!
Rule The Kingdom is an immersive role-playing game that combines the strategy and achievement of a traditional city-building game with the questing, crafting, and battles of today’s top role-playing games. Players take the mantle of a deposed lord or lady to defend and rebuild their humble domain. Android users will be tasked with building a bustling village for their loyal subjects, who create a burgeoning economy by harvesting crops and other raw materials, and by using multiple recipes, can create foodstuffs, weapons, armor, and other useful items to help bolster their community.
Rule The Kingdom will offer hours of varied gameplay that combines city-building and resource management with true role-playing game-style questing and battles. This unique RPG experience will be free-to-play and will be available on Android devices in April 2012.
For more information, please visit http://www.rulekingdom.com/.
Trailer Download: http://yousend.it/GzAoSb


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Cyber threats of EV chargers
EV chargers create unique cyber threats due to the systems interconnecting, running on business networks or personal homes, and connecting to local power grids.
Add this to the growing cyber threats of all newer car models, which have electronic systems, internet-connected communications, Bluetooth capabilities, and wifi hotspots.
Researchers have noted vulnerabilities that restrict charging. However, charger hacks are largely hypothetical so far.
As KSN reported, one of the EV charger vulnerability targets for hackers may be fleets, disrupting the nightly charging of delivery vehicles.
EV cyber-security issues forum
The Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) held a forum last week with government officials and private companies, including automakers and EV charging manufacturers, to discuss the cybersecurity issues of EVs and the tech they run on.
Most of the discussion focused on the possibility of new EV cyber standards and new research on potential cyber risks, per a meeting readout.
The White House’s meeting readout did not state which private companies or industry stakeholders joined the ONCD forum.
Importance of EV cybersecurity
While EV charger hacks have mainly remained hypothetical, the technology powering chargers could see increased hacker interest as EV adoption grows.
Earlier this year, a teenage hacker hacked into more than 25 Teslas at once through the manufacturer’s open-source activity logging tool.
Researchers have found several security vulnerabilities in charging equipment that allows hackers access to user information and prevent charging.
EV chargers’ threat level
EV chargers — whether placed in personal homes or public areas — commonly gather information regarding a vehicle’s charge rate, identification numbers and drivers’ online account information.
Chargers also typically connect to a system inside cars known as the controller area network, allowing various onboard electronic components and controllers to communicate with one another. Hackers are known for targeting this network.
“If somebody can get into the systems that run public charging infrastructure, then there is potential to inject some sort of malware into the vehicle,” said Sam Abuelsamid, a principal research analyst leading Guidehouse Insights’ e-mobility division.
Cybersecurity standards for electric vehicles
There are no existing cybersecurity standards for EV charging infrastructure.
However, automakers and charging manufacturers are working on accounting for cyber threats in new vehicles and systems’ development.
“Bringing in new regulations could mean new baseline cybersecurity requirements for both EVs and their chargers to ensure automakers don’t cut corners,” Gartner analyst Mike Ramsey said.
Representatives from the White House and the departments of Energy, Transportation and Homeland Security joined last week’s meeting. However, it’s unclear which government agency would lead in setting these standards.
While standards aren’t a foolproof solution to preventing hacks of EVs and their charging systems, as hackers constantly find new ways to exploit devices, exercising security standards makes EV adoption one step ahead.
It aids in adding security and safety around electric vehicles and ensures that such threats and risks are addressed.
The ONCD office did not make any statements about the next steps. However, it is possible that updated EV standards could emerge from the discussion.


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Bamburi Cement investors are set to receive KSh1.089 billion in dividends after the company posted impressive results in 2020. Shareholders on the company’s register at the close of business on 16th May 2021 will on 15th July 2021 receive a final dividend of KSh3.00 per ordinary share held.
The cement producer’s pre-tax profit for the financial year 2020 jumped to KSh1.776 billion, from KSh728 million in 2019, representing a 144% increase.
Bamburi cement credits its cost optimization efforts and cash protection measures implemented in 2020 for the sharp rise in pretax profit. The company’s net finance costs fell by 47% to KSh207 million compared to KSh369 million in 2019.
The cement manufacturer, with operations in Kenya and Uganda was adversely affected by the movement restrictions and lockdown measures instituted in the two countries in 2020. Its revenue declined by 5% to KSh34.9 billion in December 2020 from KSh36.8 billion in December 2019.
Bamburi Cement will hold a virtual Annual General Meeting on 10th June 2021. The company intends to change its name to Bamburi Cement Plc from Bamburi Cement Limited, in line with the provisions of section 53 of the Companies Act 2015.
In addition, the NSE listed company plans to change its Articles of Association to allow the manufacturer to report, deliver, and or pay to the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority (UFAA) or any other regulator outlined by the law, any unclaimed assets including shares and dividends in the company presumed to be abandoned or unclaimed. After the payment or delivery of such assets to the UFAA, Bamburi shall no longer be accountable for the relevant unclaimed assets.


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VW recalls minivans
Volkswagen AG is recalling nearly 16,000 Routan minivans to address fire concerns involving latches on the sliding doors.
The German automaker said the recall affects 2009 minivans, which are jointly developed with Chrysler LLC and built at Chrysler's Windsor, Ontario, plant.
Chrysler recently announced a recall of nearly 285,000 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country minivans because of fire concerns inside the sliding doors. A Volkswagen official was not immediately available to discuss the matter.


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The retail component of the landmark project has helped set a new standard for South Florida.Buzz is a fickle thing. While retailers and landlords do their best to create it, it’s often something that’s best served when it’s allowed to happen organically. That’s exactly what’s happened with Brickell City Centre down in Miami, and the excitement is palpable.
As Miami Today shares, the retail component of the landmark project opened last year, and the development as a whole has helped set a new standard for the South Florida region. The sprawling mixed-use project is being developed by Swire Properties, and it will span five full blocks upon completion. As for the retail component, the centre’s website paints a beautiful picture of how shoppers are being dazzled.
“Four levels of luxury, premium and world-class dining and entertainment are interconnected over three city blocks and anchored by a 107,000 square foot Saks Fifth Avenue and luxury VIP Cinema Experience from CMX,” the site explains.
As Robert Granda, a director of Franklin Street of Fort Lauderdale explains it, this development has been a real game changer for developers and landlords, as it has expanded the horizons of where the focus should be for the region as a whole.
“It used to be that Miami Beach was where you wanted to be, but now Brickell, downtown, Wynwood and the Design District are the epicenter,” he said, adding that “The rest of the city has caught up, and now, All Aboard Florida is going to be right in the heart of it. If developers wait for the cities, they’ll wait forever.”
While the location is obviously fantastic, Granda notes that the developers have also hit a home run by tapping into a concept that the market was screaming for.
“Mixed use is the future, and it has everything to do with the next generation and the change in consumer behavior,” Granda continued “They want a localized concept; food halls are a thing. They want to support local chefs. Little concepts are going to thrive, and it will be the experience at the venue - and how that plays on social media - that drives the change.”
As Granda explains it, Swire’s project could be the linchpin that drives continued change in the Miami area, and the possibilities are absolutely endless. “We haven’t even seen yet what Miami is capable of,” Mr. Granda said. “In 10 years it will look totally different. People will see us as they see Manhattan and Los Angeles.”